Full Circle
by irishguy117
Summary: Jules can't stand the sight of Sam in so much pain, but can she bring him back to the SRU and to her after he plans to abandon them both? Set during the season 3/ season 2 volume 2 finale Behind the Blue line, and after.
1. Chapter 1

"The one guy I should have been able to save, was the one guy I couldn't. I wasn't objective; I put my team at risk. I don't belong here." Sam said ominously and walked away. The team let him go, stayed back as he left to give him the space he needed. While he was showering they finished debriefing, all got up and prepared to go home. The only problem was that when they went into the Men's locker room to change they found Sam's locker empty, all his stuff packed up into a bag.

Jules sat on a bench in the women's locker room, barely able to keep her tears in check. She was sad for the poor guy but she knew that he had chosen to die in that Arena. She could barely keep her tears in check for Sam. The man who had been her best friend before (or perhaps as) they fell in love, the man who had loved her unreservedly, the man she had loved just as deeply, and the man whose heart she had broken. He had taken her breaking up with him badly, very badly in fact. But it had been the right thing to do, it had made sense. Didn't it? Sam was many things but for a former Special Forces soldier he couldn't keep a secret very well. Half the SRU had probably figured out that they were dating. That was why she broke up with him. Wasn't it? She couldn't put her career at risk for a guy, not even Sam. Or should she? Was Sam worth transferring to another team? Or was she worth it to him? She wasn't even sure anymore all she knew was she clearly was as bad at keeping a secret as Sam was. Leah had probably figured out why they were still slightly awkward around each other by now. That didn't matter anymore either.

Sam hadn't bothered with appearances when she'd been shot, why was she trying to keep them up now? He was in pain; she knew that better than anyone on the team. Today had reopened Pandora's Box of nightmares from his past. She was sure he was reliving the moments of his sniper mission, picking through his memory to try and see when he had blown his friend apart. She was sure he was reliving the moment when he learned another friend of his had shot himself. She was sure he was reliving many more painful memories; no doubt among them was when she had broken up with him. She hadn't meant to hurt him the way she did. But why couldn't she just move on? Why does it always keep coming back to that one night? "Why do I suddenly feel that I made a terrible mistake that night" came the final ominous thought, as she realized it was true. She could bury her feelings beneath logic and rationalizations but Sam so obviously in pain was enough to cut through it all. She still loved him, and he needed her right now. But even so she had been right, neither of them wanted to transfer to another team, they had no chance of having a relationship in secret, but they were still in love. Or was he? She knew she still loved him but did he ever want to see her again? He had said he didn't belong here but he couldn't be serious about that could he? He wouldn't actually leave?

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, but before she could find her voice again Leah called "decent, come in."She was surprised to see Ed open the door, and more surprised to see the entire rest of the team behind him. Again before she could speak Leah said "what's wrong guys?" That earned her a glare or two, honestly had she not been paying attention? Despite her best efforts Leah still didn't fit in very well with the team.

Greg chose to ignore her little verbal snafu, mostly because he thought she had just used an expression without thinking about it first, and to be honest their faces were appropriately grim. "Sam packed up his locker. I think he plans on leaving and going back to the military."

That got Jules on her feet and found her voice for her just fine. "What?" she asked with slightly more than appropriate anger. In response to the looks on their faces she calmed down a little, at least externally, before saying "What makes you say that?" She tried to maintain an air of teammate appropriate concern, which was probably pointless, but then again there was less and less of the team left. After Lou died and Leah's poor attempt to replace him the idea of losing another teammate didn't appeal to anybody.

"Because he's hurt. Because for all that we've tried to teach him Sam is a soldier. He's not trained to deal with it he's trained to push it down and ignore it until the mission is over. Here he'd just have to think about it, and relive all the pain he's ever experienced because he's not going to go to us for help there. We haven't seen the things he's seen, or done the things he's done. To him, now we're all outsiders. He doesn't think any of us can understand him, and he's probably right. Most of all because of what he said in the debrief, that he went back to the last place things made sense. The military is safe to him; he does what he's told, follows orders and fits in. He can use that training to survive and try to move on. He's gone through a lot of pain here, and today has brought back all the pain he's felt from the military and at the SRU all at once. SO he'll retreat back to where he is safe, back to where his training applies, to where everything makes sense." Greg spoke in a controlled monotone as he detailed the list of reasons why Sam would return to the military. All accept one. After everything else he can't deal with his confused emotions and pain about everything else in the same room as her. He probably was just as confused and hurt by Jules and his emotions towards her as everything else, and he can't deal with them both. Not anymore.

"But Sarge they can't take him back, not like this! He'll get himself killed out there! He is not in any mindset to be sent into a warzone!" She almost yelled, trying to contain her own range of confused emotions. She hated herself at that particular moment. She hated herself for breaking up with Sam, for breaking his heart. She hated herself for loving him back so much. She hated herself for not being there when he needed her. She blamed herself for just about everything that had ever gone wrong at that particular moment.

"He's not a regular soldier Jules, Sam was Special Forces. He can hide that from them, and they won't look hard enough to see it. Either Sam's skills or his father will ensure he ends up back in. The military can't afford to turn away Special Forces without an obvious reason. And we all know Sam can hide his pain very well." Ed supplied as calmly as he could manage.

"Okay so what? What do we do?" Jules asked almost desperately, hoping that the team had a plan. She couldn't let Sam go off and get himself killed. She couldn't take it, because she knew she'd be responsible. She would have killed him as effectively as pulling the trigger herself.

"We just need to be there for him Jules. Show our support, show him that we can understand, or put him in touch with some people who will." At that remark Greg and Ed shared a look that told Jules that they had a plan. That was good enough for her. After the whole Eagle 2 incident Sam had known she needed him. Well know Sam needed her and she had no intention of failing him. The team spoke very little as they put Sam's locker back together. There was very little to say. While they did that she left to go talk to Sam. He was out of the Shower by now and had had more than enough time to get dressed so he was probably just sitting there thinking. "Unless he's not thinking. You hurt him Jules. And he went in there with all his gear. Concrete walls tend to muffle gunshots." She thought to herself, a thought she shut down immediately. It was too painful to imagine. As she walked away she shared a look with Greg. He indicated the side of the room so they could talk privately.

"Jules you ok? I know this is probably hard on you, even after all this time it can't be easy to see Sam in so much pain can it?" he said quietly with a knowing look on his face, and she decided to not hold back.

"No boss it isn't. I can't take it Sarge. I can't just let him sit there all alone until he comes out I need to talk to him. Privately." She probably just abandoned her career with that sentence but she didn't care in the least. Not now. She had made it clear what she needed to talk to Sam about. She had put enough emphasis on privately that a mouse would have understood, and Greg parker, with all his negotiations training understood what she needed to do. He understood what she was going to do.

He should have stopped her right there. He should have said no, and hoped for the best. But he knew his team, and he knew that Jules Callaghan and Sam Braddock were still very much in love with each other. HE knew that it was his responsibility to keep them separate, that this was a danger to the team on anything they did. But he also knew that Sam was going down the same path Darin Covacks went. And that it would end in a different country under different circumstances but with the same result. And if Jules felt responsible for breaking Sam's heart and sending him to his death he knew she'd follow. He stood there for a moment. After Jules had been shot, Sam had been obviously emotional but he had kept it together. He had done his job. Who were the rules kidding with emotional distance anyway? Spike had almost gotten himself killed for Lou. He was certain that they would all do anything for each other, and the rest of the team would step in when they went too far. So he decided to ignore regulations. He decided to ignore the rules and all the potential dangers to go with what he felt was best. He said nothing further but looked Jules directly in the eye, and nodded his head once. From the look on her face she had expected to have to fight more, but she nodded in return once she realized what he had just given her permission to do. As she walked away to go find Sam, Sergeant Greg Parker walked back to his team, who all equally understood what he had just done. And not a single one of them disapproved. They saw that Sam and Jules needed each other, and ignoring that would do nothing to help anyone. They understood that Sam and Jules judgment would be no more impaired than Spike's was after Lou stepped onto that landmine. They all knew they could intervene if necessary just as they had then.

Eventually Jules found Sam, fully dressed but just sitting there on the floor, staring off into space. She guessed that he had showered and got dressed on autopilot. "Hey" she said simply, trying to get a response from him. When he didn't react she moved further into the room and said "Sam? You ok?"

"Wonderful." He replied sarcastically, but he still wouldn't look at her.

She walked in and sat down beside him. Many things needed to be worked out alone in silence. Many problems didn't need to be shared and just needed some time to work through. However this was not one of those problems, and Sam would not work through it on his own. The fact that he was sitting on a floor was evidence of that. She hesitated for a moment and then she took his hand, and tried to get him to look at her. When he finally did she realized that he was crying slightly. Not much but in barely perceptible amounts. She tried to pull in closer but he pushed her away and backed up.

"What is it Jules? What do you want? Can't you just leave me alone?" he said now getting angry.

Jules didn't fall into that trap; she remained calm as she replied "No Sam. I can't leave you alone. Not like this. What did you think you were just going to leave? Leave us all behind like we were nothing? One mistake and suddenly Sam's endless confidence disappears?"

"I can't do this job Jules. I do not belong here. I tried to connect with this guy and look what happened. I got him killed and I put you all at risk. "He said with his anger deflated into guilt and self-loathing.

"No Sam. No. That is not true and you know it isn't. You can do this. You can do anything Sam. "She decided to change tack as she clearly wasn't getting anywhere. "Why are you really leaving Sam? Do you honestly think you can't do this job or are you just too afraid that you can? Is that it? You're afraid that if you learn to connect with people like this then all your control, all that pain you're trying to keep locked away will come spilling out?" The look he gave her at that told her she was getting somewhere. "Sam you are not a monster. That guy's death was not your fault. Neither was your buddy mark's."

"I did put my team at risk Jules. I cannot do this anymore." The anymore was a clear sign she could get through, but a lifetime of Special Forces wetwork combined with a broken heart is not easy to break through. She knew that she needed to get through to him quickly, as a flashback to when they had told her about an SRU veteran's attempted suicide in the office nearly broke her concentration.

"Sam! I need you to snap out of it. You can't do this Sam! You can't just check out on us like this. You don't get to pack it up and leave when things get tough! You can't leave like this. I know Sam, I know you are feeling a lifetime's worth of guilt, and pain right now but I know that you cannot just try to suppress that. You can get through it all here. We can get through it all together." He still just sat there, however he was no longer blankly reliving the worst moments of his life he was listening to her. "Sam there are people here that need you. We all need you here. Even me Sam. Especially me. I can't watch you do this to yourself Sam. Please. Please, I've already lost a teammate, I can't lose you too." She almost broke down and started to cry herself but she kept going because she had to. Because Sam still needed her. She suspected he always would. A lifetime of killing people you don't know, for reasons you don't know does one of two things, it hardens you so you don't care anymore, or you start to care too much to take it, and end up destroying yourself without help. Jules had no intention of sitting back as Sam destroyed himself. She pulled in closer to Sam, as he finally looked at her on his own. She continued "Sam I … I don't know what I would do if something happened to you. I know I hurt you. I'm so sorry. I've had a lot of time to think about that night Sam. I was afraid and worried, and I thought that you could bring down a lifetime of work to get where I am. But I never realized until today that none of that matters anymore. I Was wrong that night. I need you. I love you Sam." She decided that she had said enough, she had gotten through to Sam and shown him that he still belonged here, that he still had someone to live for. She had said everything she could think of to show him that he was needed here, and to apologize. So she chose that moment to pull in very close to him and kiss him. After a moment of lingering self-doubt Sam kissed her back. They held that kiss for a long passionate moment, enough to fully convince each other that any doubts were wrong, and that this time they would never abandon each other. After they broke apart she helped pull Sam up from the floor, and asked him "So do you still think you don't belong here?"  
"No Jules I get it. Your right, I need you, and I belong here now."

"Great, because the whole team knows now and they seemed to agree, so long as we can be discreet no one outside the family needs to know." She watched his face light up for a moment at the prospect of a relationship with Jules without having to give up his team. "Come on Sam you should explain that you don't plan to abandon us." She let Ed have his own private moment with Sam as she rejoined the team in waiting for Sam.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam Braddock advanced slowly into the room, sweeping across it with his MP5 submachine gun. He turned slowly from side to side keeping his eyes glued to the iron sights, searching for any indication of danger. This was Sam in his element, in his prime. He struggled within himself to keep his instincts in check, a struggle he had gone through every day with the SRU. His instincts and training taught him to kill first eliminate all threats to himself and his team. However he had chosen to change, wanted to change, needed to change. He had seen enough death for one lifetime, and caused more than enough of it. Now we was no longer a soldier, no longer turned loose on the greatest threats and dumped into the hells in which they lived. Now he was a constable, his job was to save lives not take them. It was a job he loved to do, no matter how hard it was to contain his old training. "Focus you idiot." He thought to himself, recently his mind had begun to wander, waxing philosophical even during the middle of a situation. Just recently he had seen how bad that could be, and had no desire to experience the consequences again. Thus he focused his mind back to where it needed to be, to covering his portion of the room. After all this time the stakes were even higher, it wasn't just his life in danger, or the hostages, or the subject, or even just his teammates, it was Jules's life as well. Without her… without her he truly had nothing anymore. So he forced his mind back to where it needed to be, especially because Jules was five feet to his left clearing her own side of the room. Eventually they finished, both having found nothing. They looked at each other and turned to leave saying nothing to each other but "clear". The two were now always exactingly professional in the field, never speaking to each other unless necessary, and usually not outside of formal communication. They had time to be in love later but for now they had to protect each other, and that required total focus.

They continued searching the building for the next few hours until eventually they found what they had come for, a bank robber who had been ditched by his friends after the heist for moving too slowly. Their betrayal was somewhat ironic considering that they had been caught no more than two minutes later, and he was the only one who had evaded arrest. At least until now. The only problem was that he was still armed with a G-36C, a very modern and very powerful assault rifle which is more than capable of going through standard issue SRU body armor. They found him as he attempted to sneak past them to escape through an office, and as soon as they got sight of him he opened fire. Jules and Sam split apart, heading to cover on opposite sides of the room, and the bank robber continued firing long after they had gone. The thing about many such criminals is that they see all the badass action movies and try to imitate them, forgetting that action heroes don't actually get weapons training. Shooting from your hip is a wonderful way to waste all your ammunition and hit nothing at all. Unfortunately he was smart enough to not waste all of his ammunition, but he also picked up another bad habit from watching movies: pulling the bolt back unnecessarily. Guns do not come with extra options to make cool metallic sounds, thus when one pulls back the bolt of an automatic weapon unnecessarily they tend to burn themselves with a still very hot shell casing, hence the source of the scream in pain from inside the office. Both Sam and Jules took that as their queue, and both rushed back into the doorway yelling for him to drop his weapon. When he instead raised it back up to fire, he came to the unfortunate realization that he had ejected his last bullet. By a previous agreement Sam stayed back as Jules rushed in to tackle him and handcuff him.

After they returned to the station, dropped off the subject for processing, and went through the entire debrief process Sam and Jules finally dropped their forced professionalism towards each other, and began acting normally again. "I really can't believe how many people think watching movies makes them qualified to use a gun. I mean really its professionally insulting, why don't you just take the time to learn how to use the gun your going to rob a bank with?." Jules said about their latest moron.

Sam couldn't contain a laugh at that one "Really? Professionally insulting Jules?"

"Yes actually, it is. We spend all day training and practicing to use these weapons, and then some idiot who's watched a few to many action movies thinks he can do the same thing and ends up unloading into a crowd of people." Jules remarked slightly harsher than she had intended to. "oh shit, sorry Sam. I'm a little tired after that one. Plus there's this new guy I've been seeing and he just snores so loud like you wouldn't believe." She finished bringing the conversation back onto a lighter note.

"Oh really? He snores huh. Well maybe you should just not sleep when he's around." Sam replied with a smile as he edged closer to her.

"oh you think? But then what would I do all night long if I wasn't sleeping?" Jules asked with a similar smile.

"Oh I'm sure you would think of something." Sam whispered as their lips finally connected.

They broke apart quickly as Sergeant Parker turned the corner, but he had clearly seen enough to know what he had interrupted. "Hey! I agreed to this on the condition that you would keep it secret, and controlled. It is clear you can do that in the field but you must also do so in headquarters. If you are caught by anyone outside the team you will be split up and reassigned."

"yes sir."Jules replied for the both of them. "we understand sir." She left it at that, sending the clear message that she thought their relationship to be worth the risk.

As their sergeant walked away Sam and Jules shared one last look, before breaking apart and going to their individual changing rooms as Ed Lane watched along with Greg Parker. "I'm still not entirely sure about this boss." Ed remarked of his doubts about Sam and Jules.

"They've proved that they can keep it under control. And besides you saw what happened to them, they both fell apart without the other, and I'd rather an unorthodox team than a team down three members in one year."

Ed simply nodded his acknowledgement. "Still I have doubts Boss. They hide it well but it shows, its obvious that they spend all their time together. It shows in everything they do. You know they both started carrying identical Px4 storms as sidearms? When they don't have specific assignments they carry loadouts to complement each other. I don't think they even realize that they're doing it but they are boss.

"Ed that's no more than any pair of partners would do. Even if it is no one outside the team is going to notice. They can keep it together in the field. As long as they keep it a secret this is what works best." Greg said with an air of finality.

"For now." Ed replied "but trust me boss I won't allow this to go on if they become a danger to this team.

Greg just sighed and said "agreed."


	3. Chapter 3

Sam and Jules walked into the SRU headquarters along with the rest of the team just as team four was coming off shift. After a few pleasantries were exchanged Team one was forced to stop procrastinating and accept that they had pulled a midnight shift… again. Spike was avidly complaining about this fact. "Seriously this is the fifth time in two weeks, who the hell did we piss off?"

"Nobody Spike, you know as well as we all do that we just got lucky." Sam replied even though he was starting to think that maybe they had pissed someone off.

"Yeah whatever Sam."

"OK team come on, it may be the middle of the night when all sane people are in bed asleep but sane people don't generally require our services so we will be keeping the peace no matter how badly you crave a normal shift." Greg Parker ordered as his own version of a pep talk. "Come on everybody lets go, get dressed hit the gym or the firing range let's do something!" he ordered while ushering the entire team into the locker rooms.

Once everyone had gotten into SRU uniform everyone began to split off to the various fun filled activities of maintaining readiness. Spike and Wordy managed to get the fun filled job of running inventory on the armory… again. "Seriously why do we have to do this every day? Not even just every day every shift? What do our bosses think we're going to steal a few assault rifles and hope no one noticed?" Spike complained as Wordy muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "oh shut up already spike"

After everyone had gotten a suppressed chuckle in at Spike's misfortune, and stopped to ponder if people really did think they were going to steal weapons from the SRU's rather significant armory, Jules spoke up to Sam "So got any ideas on how we can "maintain our readiness?" she stopped to chuckle for a moment before seeing the look in his eye and turned serious "Not like that Sam. Focus."

"Right sorry, my mind slipped just for a second ok." Sam apologized, sounding genuinely sorry this time around. Jules was just grateful he hadn't said anything out loud, after all he had managed to give away their relationship to half the city the last time they tried it.

"Ok Sam to the firing range with you. You need to take your mind off of … that so let's go shoot things. Come on." Jules hadn't arbitrarily chosen the firing range, although shooting something generally helped clear Sam's head a little. She had chosen it because she needed more practice with her new chosen sidearm, the Beretta Px4 storm. She liked it significantly more than their old Glock, but she still needed to practice with it more. It was also significant because she and Sam had both chosen to carry identical models, despite their efforts to hide their relationship. She loved the gun, or maybe she loved it because it was something tangible that could remind her of Sam, the man she loved even when she had to keep him at arm's length. She could depend on that handgun like she could depend on Sam, and she knew that he had similar feelings toward his own. They had chosen it for many practical reasons(although the fact that it looked really cool had come up repeatedly on Sam's list of favorites), it was an ideal size for potential CQB situations, it had good accuracy, little recoil, it was reliable, felt natural in your hand, had a 20 round magazine, and a number of other reasons. But there was another reason, one that made it even more significant: it could be disassembled at a moment's notice with no special tools required. And once it was disassembled, there is no possible way to reassemble it incorrectly. As an inherent feature of its design there was only one way to put it back together even after you had to break it down into its most basic components you could never put them back together incorrectly. That simple design detail added in for ease of use became so much more to them, a hope that they could keep living like this, compartmentalizing their feelings for each other when necessary but always coming back together in the end. Sometimes you find meaning in the strangest things, but they both did. "Ok Jules focus; this is why we both agreed to this gun. Sam is not the man you love, he is a teammate and you need to practice. I have all my live to spend with him, but not if I can't hit anything when I need to." She thought to herself to get her mind back on track. They both took firing positions and began unloading with their chosen handgun/relationship symbol. Jules managed to find her rhythm with it finally, and it worked beautifully. She and Sam both quickly took to a competition after having each mastered the pistol.

About ten minutes later Ed walked in and without having to wait to see what they were doing asked "so who's winning?"

Both Sam and Jules answered "I am." Almost simultaneously. Ed's face hardened just noticeably for a second, but then he decided it was a normal interaction, and that either way it was funny. "Ok come on, I officially declare the latest Callaghan/Braddock shootout to be a draw." He laughed as they both mocked groaning and then continued "Look you should get out here it looks like something's happening. Team three was out on patrol and it sounds like they've found something, best to gear up just in case."

Both Sam and Jules packed up and moved to join the rest of the team in gathering all their weapons and armor while waiting for some news. Eventually Ed decided the team needed a little more direction rather than just sitting there trying to imagine what could be going on so he began ordering "all right we all know something is going on, We're being kept in the dark too long for it to be anything else. I have no idea what is happening but it's got to be serious so Jules and Sam will be Sierras One and Two respectively, Wordy you'll be less lethal, Spike go get Babycakes."

"Yes! I'm coming baby!" spike almost yelled at the chance to get to use his precious robot.

Leah, as usual, chose this moment to interrupt by asking "What about me Ed?" As the entire team gave her a look that she seemed to genuinely not understand, Ed eventually replied.

"You could use some experience in the truck, you'll be the Boss's Second."

"Ok"

At that moment Greg walked into the room already speaking "Ok team one gear up lets go. Team three just called for our help with a bank robbery gone bad. They specified we come heavy, armor piercing."

The entire team sprang into action to finish getting ready and loaded into the SUVs and got going. On the way there Ed asked over the radio "Details boss?"

"At least four subjects possibly more. At least 20 hostages, but no eyes or ears inside to confirm either number. Negotiations were going well but they've broken down so Team Three wants for backup in case they have to go in. When they first went in a few people managed to escape out the front door, a few more watched them go in. According to them they were wearing full black head to toe, including body armor. One of those people was a gun collector and he identified the weapons they were carrying as customized G-36Cs. All of them were G-36s." The entire team shared a look at that particular piece of information. Uniform black, body armor, and assault rifles that probably would go straight through their body armor. These were the marks of military and mercenaries, not usually bank robbers. It also explained why Team three had called for backup, and specified they bring heavier than normal loadouts. SRU teams do not like being outgunned. All indications were that both sides were professional and equally armed once Team one arrived, so weight of numbers would be very helpful, but any firefight would become very ugly very fast.

Sam spoke up "Boss no matter how professional their gear is I doubt they're actually pros. They did just run in the front door and got caught in a hostage situation after all."

"I don't know all the details Sam, but it sounds like they had some kind of plan that fell apart. Ed you'll be Sierra three, supporting team three's sierras. Spike I want you to focus on finding some way to get eyes and ears in. Sam you'll be leading tactical on this one, everyone follows your lead. Whether we go in or not is your call."

Jules gave Sam a look of sympathy for a moment but quickly restored her professional attitude. Sam spoke with a controlled even voice so as not to give away what he suspected would be the answer to his question when he asked "Why me Boss?"

"Because these guys have military style uniforms, armor and equipment which means military rules. I'm sorry Sam but that means you. These guys could be ex-military or mercenaries which means we're playing by their rules. Sam didn't respond with anything more than a simple "Acknowledged." As usual Sam fell into military routines and training when he was troubled, letting his training act for him.

As they pulled up to the Bank Sam started to speak into his radio when a burst of automatic gunfire rang out from inside. The building was a square, with one floor and a second story ring around the edges. Team three breached through the front door immediately and took cover behind the pillars holding up the second floor as they were immediately greeted by automatic fire. The subjects moved well, coordinating between each other and maintaining a base of fire on the pillars, whenever someone was exposed or reloading someone else took over shooting for them resulting in a constant field of fire pinning down team three. Sam gave the order "Move in! Go now move in!" which was somewhat unnecessary but still good to say out loud. Team Three's MP5's gave a weak sputtering compared to the crack and thunder of the subject's assault rifles. Those submachine guns probably wouldn't pierce body armor easily. Sam and Jules led Team One in through the front door to join team three behind the pillars. Quickly the SRU responded with thunder of it's own from their Diemarco C8A1 carbines to level the playing field against the subjects. Despite the increase in firepower they achieved little besides achieving one of the largest firefights in this city's history. Something was required to break the stalemate, Sam taped Jules on the shoulder and then used hand signals to communicate to her and the rest of the team that they would try to flank the subjects and drive them out. The other officer hesitated at the mentioning of such a military tactic, but quickly recovered and nodded. The application of nonlethal force was very much out of the question now. Luckily most of the hostages were staying down but a few had panicked and tried to run only to be hit by the crossfire. Sam and Jules pulled out moving from pillar to pillar as the rest of both teams laid down covering fire, continuous streams of bullets designed not to hit the enemy but force them into cover. Just as Sam and Jules got into position behind pillars on the right side of the room with a clear view of the subjects one of them was suddenly hit and went down. Sam and Jules nodded to one another and popped out of cover to open fire on the subjects. Another one of the four went down immediately, and the other two broke cover while returning fire only to inadvertently expose themselves to the front of the room. Both went down quickly. Both SRU teams moved in to check on the hostages and subjects, and called for paramedics. Sam looked at the wall behind him and nodded to Jules "Look at this." He pointed to a bullet hole that was no more than an inch above where his head had been. "That Jules is called pure luck." She gave him a look that showed she felt no desire to continue their argument about weather luck had anything to do with survival.

HE looked out at the carnage before him, all four subjects were confirmed dead and moved on, two more of the hostages had been killed and three were in critical condition. Sam turned his back on the scene and stated in a saddened and disappointed voice "Well you wanted other professionals Jules." Before she could respond she saw another subject on the second floor rise from hiding.

She yelled out "Sam! Behind you!" and took aim but he began firing before she could react. She returned fire along with the rest of the teams and someone hit him quickly enough. She knew she should not have relaxed so quickly but then again none of the SRU team members should have. Since Sam was running tactical she was surprised he wasn't already yelling at everyone (and also himself) about properly clearing a zone after an engagement. She looked over at him and her heart jumped into her throat as she yelled "Officer Down!" and rushed over to his prone form on the floor. He had taken several hits to the chest but it appeared only a few had successfully gone through his armor. She shut down everything in her brain and let her training run her. She ran on autopilot to begin basic first aid, and confirmed that he still had a pulse and was breathing before being unceremoniously shoved out of the way by paramedics. She just stood there completely empty as everything still moved by in slow motion. She still cut herself off from everything she felt, but without something to do this wouldn't last long. She tried to go in the ambulance with them but the rest of her team stopped her from following. Ed spoke up "Jules we have to go debrief now. Jules! You can't help him right now, whatever is going to happen to Sam will happen and you will learn about it as soon as you can but right now you still have a job to do. Jules this is serious we have to go be debriefed now. "She just nodded and followed them. During the adrenaline rush of a situation it was easy to keep her feelings suppressed, but now with Sam holding on for dear life she couldn't even though she tried. She quickly decided however that she would remain professional, if only to be released faster. She hadn't realized it at the time but she had kept her feelings in check and remained completely professional throughout the firefight because she had needed to. Sam had needed her to she realized, and she had failed him. She had seen the subject pop up she should have moved Sam, she should have reacted quicker, and she should have

"Stop Jules." She was brought back to reality by the voice of Sergeant Greg Parker as he looked her squarely in the eye "What happened to Sam was not your fault. No matter what happens remember that, it was not your fault. "

She didn't say it but that kind of reassurance was exactly what she had needed at that moment, apparently the sarge knew her almost as well as Sam did. She followed along with the debrief which was especially unpleasant. SRU was not meant to be engaging in massive firefights but the records were clear, it was not their fault. The subjects had gotten spooked when team one showed up, and so when one hostage tried to make a run for it they gunned him down, forcing team three to breach. Team one took the only option available to them and followed in. Fortunately no one tried to blame them for what had happened to Sam. The debrief lasted for hours, and Team Three's was even longer but the general consensus was SRU wasn't at fault. That didn't make anybody especially happy or stop them from making their lives miserable but it did make for a refreshing g change of pace. When a little thing goes wrong people are quick to blame one person or another. When something goes this spectacularly wrong they were happy to place the blame on the subjects who had fired first.

When they finally got out she stayed silent in the car ride to the hospital. They had gotten no word over the phone and wouldn't know anything until they got there. Jules sat there thinking about the cruel turn her life had taken, and she finally understood how helpless Sam must have felt when the situation had been reversed. One second he had been there, making jokes and talking like everything was normal and the next he was just… down. She shouldn't bring herself to even think the word gone. It was just too horrible. It was beyond unthinkable. She shut herself down as best she could, and tried not to feel until she had facts. She needed to know something. Good news, bad news she just needed to know. She needed an answer to a question she couldn't bear to ask. She held together though, Sam had maintained his composure, at least a little, after she had been shot so she would do the same for him. Unfortunately she knew that soon enough she would get an answer that would define her, one that would change everything about her life for better, or for… something she couldn't allow herself to imagine.


	4. Chapter 4

Jules Callaghan fought to maintain her composure as she walked into the hospital, even supported by her team it was still difficult. They had no idea where Sam was in the hospital, in an operating room, or the morgue. She stood back and looked threatening along with the rest of the team as Ed tried to scare an answer about Sam out of anyone official looking. In reality she was not nearly so calm, in reality she was picturing all the horrible possibilities, Sam could be paralyzed, he could be wounded badly enough that he would never return to the SRU, he could be… she trailed off there, not willing to go down that line of thinking. She had just gotten Sam back after spending so long denying what she felt for him. She had finally admitted to herself that she loved him, more than that that she needed him. All she had needed was to see Sam's point of view, to feel like you're important to someone, to feel that that person needs you. She knew that he needed her as much as she needed him, and she could not bear to lose him now. Then her thoughts took the inevitable turn "Sam stopped and turned around to talk to me. If it wasn't for me he would have seen the guy upstairs, he could have shot first. If I had just…

"Jules! Stop it!" Spike whispered to her harshly, yanking her out of her self-incriminating thoughts. "What happened to Sam was NOT your fault! Believe me we're all worried about Sam but he would not want you falling apart about this. Look me in the eye and tell me this is how Sam would want you to react." She tried to, tried to tell him that it was her fault and Sam would see it that way, that he would hate her and would have every right too, but she couldn't. She knew it was wrong. When she had been shot it had never once occurred to her that Sam could be at fault, yet he had felt that way. He had thought that if only he had dropped back to protect her with the shield once they knew the sniper had moved then nothing would have happened. He had blamed himself, even though he didn't deserve it. She had told him he was wrong, that she didn't blame him and that none of it was his fault. Yet here she was, doing the same thing. No matter what happened Sam wouldn't want her to blame herself. She looked at Spike and nodded her thanks, a simple acknowledgement of gratitude that she could never fully express. He simply nodded back to her, after going through the same thing so recently he knew that she was doing the exact same thing. Sam and Jules were his teammates, and his friends, and he would do anything for both of them. Jules brought her attention back to the moment, back to where it belonged.

Ed walked back to the team, apparently having finally gotten an answer. It tends to be easy to get people's attention when you have a full SRU team still dressed in their all black uniforms behind you. "First off, he's still alive." Jules stopped hearing at that point and barely contained her reaction to the news. Her dark predictions and fears all melted away in one simple answer.

"Can we go see him?" Jules asked, cutting off whatever Ed was going to say next. No one was particularly surprised by her question however.

"They said we can go see him right now but he won't be awake until tomorrow."That was all Jules needed to hear, all the information she needed to decide what to do next. Ed picked up on that detail, knew she had no intention of going home that night so he added "Of course one of us should probably stay with him until he wakes up." Jules merely gave him a look.

They eventually made their way into Sam's room, everyone saying a few words or just sharing a moment with their teammate, until eventually they all finished and left Jules alone with him. She sat down in a chair next to his bed and held on to his hand as she finally let go of her emotional control. A flood of emotions washed over her that she could no longer repress, anger, guilt, and fear combined with unsurpassed joy and hope that he was still alive. She sobbed softly as she looked at him, the sedation giving him an image of peace that she doubted he would often experience naturally. Sam had been more and more tortured, and the recent incident in the stadium had reopened many old wounds. Some too painful for Sam to discuss, and some too classified. He had told the team and her only one of the things that tormented him but she was sure that there were many more. She was certain, however horrifying the notion, that there were things in Sam's memory that were even worse than the day he had killed his own best friend through the scope of a sniper rifle. Memories that would only get more and more painful as the SRU succeeded in training him to employ sympathy and empathy for people similar to those he had spent so long killing. Memories that she knew were starting to overwhelm him that probably would overwhelm him without her. Jules was never one for false modesty and she knew that Sam loved her, and she knew that she was probably the only thing keeping him sane, or at least keeping him human. There are two general reactions to seeing and feeling that much pain: It can destroy you and make you a monster hardened to all forms of emotion; it can make you vulnerable and even more empathetic and sensitive to pain. If you're lucky you find someone who makes it all make sense, who makes everything matter again. Someone who can make you feel again. Jules knew she was that someone for Sam. To him she made everything make sense, as long as he had her he could hold on to his humanity, and avoid the only other survival mechanism available to him. Sam had taught her one thing, people can _survive_ alone. People don't need love to _survive_. But the thing that _survives_ alone is nothing compared to the person that _lives_ when in love. The survivor is but a shadow of the life that can be when together. Sam needed her for this, and she knew that she needed him, not as badly as he needed her but she needed him as well. Both of them could _survive_ the rest of their lives and be perfectly fine alone without each other. But both needed the other to truly live. And so she sat by the bedside of the man she loved, and the man who loved her back. She sat back and waited for morning to arrive when she could see his face light up with that charm of his, when he would look at her and eventually force a smile as this reminded him of some long dead friend who had once also tended to his wounds. But she would help him move on from that moment into a genuine smile, she would remind him of hope, and love. She loved Sam, and Sam included those scars that would never fully heal. There would be problems but she could deal with those, and help Sam deal with them as well. Jules loved challenges, and she would devote her life to this one if need be.

-Sorry this chapter is so short, I've been having difficulty coming up with good ideas.-


	5. Chapter 5

Sam Braddock opened his eyes slowly, and reluctantly. For some reason everything hurt, he could see a bright light in his eyes and a number of voices around him. One sounded so familiar, it sounded concerned and nervous but he simply couldn't remember whose it was. Then after a moment his memory locked into place and he realized it was Jules. At that moment he forced his eyes open, which turned out to be a bad idea because there really was a bright light inches from his face. It withdrew and he was treated to an image of a hospital room, complete with monitoring equipment, doctors, and Jules Callaghan. Everyone was silent for a moment but one of the doctors spoke up "Officer Braddock? Can you hear me?"

Sam nodded in response and eventually said "Yes"

Everyone in the room simply nodded in response and went on with their checklist but Jules seemed visibly relieved. Luckily for both of them no one was looking at her and thus assumed that the SRU was rightly concerned for one of its own. Eventually the doctors were satisfied that he was indeed awake and there was no brain damage or anything of the like that they might have missed. They then told him his prognosis "Well officer Braddock you are one very lucky man, you were shot twice and both missed any vital organs. I'd like to keep you here in the hospital for another week or so for observation and then after that I'd say about a month or so resting before returning to strenuous activity. I expect you to make a full recovery and be back on the SRU no later than then."The doctors accepted his silence and nod as affirmation enough and left quickly.

Jules immediately moved closer to him as soon as they were gone and before he could get a word out in private she was on top of him, and she kissed him with all the passion she could muster, which was a considerable amount of passion. Sam kissed her back, equally glad to see her again. He could remember those last moments as he slowly lost consciousness and wondered if his time had finally come even as Jules tried to save him. He put those moments behind him as he surrendered to her and in that moment he could think of nothing but Jules, and she thought of nothing but him. In that moment they managed to be free and in love with nothing to separate them, and nothing to compete for their attention.

Eventually the need to breathe forced them both to separate, and Jules was forced to move as she realized she was lying on his gunshot wounds. She felt momentarily guilty about that but when she saw the look on his face she knew it had been worth it. She pulled up her chair to sit right beside him and finally spoke "So Sam how much do you remember exactly?"She hated to do this but to maintain a reason for her to have stayed she needed to assess how much he could report and how soon he would be up to the task of doing it.

"Oh straight to business huh Jules?" He gave her a quick look to assure her of what business he had in mind before returning to official mode. "All of it, up until I lost consciousness. I even remember you beginning first aid. It's not my first time being shot; it gets less traumatizing after the first few times. It's also easier if you have training to deal with being wounded in the field. So yes I can file a full report as soon as need be." He finished sounding frustrated that they needed to come up with official reasons to even see each other when one had been shot. He had run into the same problem when she was I the hospital. Why did there need to be so many rules? Why couldn't he just be with the woman he loved and still do his job? He looked at her and realized she thought his frustration was aimed at her, and immediately all his self pity evaporated. "Oh Jules I'm sorry I'm being at idiot. I don't care how much we have to lie to the rest of the world, as long as we can be together. I love you Jules. More than anything or anyone else in the world I love you. "

Jules realized that she too had been selfish in that moment. After Sam's genuinely heartfelt apology she realized she had no right to take his frustration personally, they both had every right to be frustrated. She thought to herself for a moment "He loves me". Those words were so unusual to her after spending so much time focused on her career and on what she loved doing she had little time to love someone else or be loved. "Sam I'm sorry too. That stupid report could have waited longer. What's important here is you. I need you to get better Sam. I needed to be here when you woke up. I needed to know you were okay. I needed you to be okay." She leaned in close again and they simply held on to each other for a moment, enjoying the comfort of each other's embrace.

That moment was spoiled by the entrance of a nurse who seemed not to notice the two break apart as she entered the room. She simply said "Officer Braddock you have a visitor." Then she turned around and sheparded someone into the room. "Colonel he is right in here."

A man burst into the room from behind her, clearly close to panicking. When he made it inside Sam blurted out in surprise "Dad?"

-My apologies for the wait and the length, I have had difficulty deciding where to take my story. And i have had some issues going on I promise the next chapter will be much better and up sooner-


	6. Chapter 6

"That's Sir to you Sam." Colonel Braddock replied coldly as he looked at his son lying in a hospital bed. "So I got a call from a friend of mine telling me that my son had been shot and was in a hospital. Don't bother explaining son I've read the reports already, I have many friends here. Sounds to me like the SRU has made you weak son. I take it that this is the female officer who first administered first aid when you were shot?"

"Yes sir. This is Jules Callaghan." Sam introduced her before she could speak.

"Nice to meet you" Jules said trying to appear friendly as she extended her hand. Colonel Braddock let the moment hang but after a glare from his son finally shook her hand and moved past her to Sam's bed, brushing her aside on the way. Jules decided to politely ignore this and move to the other side of Sam's bed.

"So Son when are you coming back to where you belong? We need you out there doing a real" he paused for a moment and gave Jules a meaningful glance "Man's work." At this point Jules gave up on being polite as the real reason for his treatment of her became clear. She advanced to make a point of it but Sam waved her off, reminding her that it would be best if she didn't murder her boyfriend's father in his hospital room.

"Dad…" Sam paused for a moment at a glare from his father, apparently at being called Dad. "I'm not coming back to the military. I have a new life here, now. I don't care what you expect from me I'm staying here." Sam's demeanor and aggressiveness gave the impression that this very argument had happened several times, each time with his father stubbornly ignoring his son's answer. Jules merely looked at him with what she hoped was appropriate sympathy, After knowing the man for less than five minutes she knew that Sam's father could never know anything about her and Sam. In fact after knowing the man for less than five minutes she was possessed of the desire to stab him with something, and entirely puzzled as to how this man could be related to the one she had fallen in love with. Sam had occasionally been condescending and over protective but she suspected he didn't always realize that until afterwards. Even so Sam had always been well meaning about it, never openly hostile to the idea of a woman in their line of work like his father.

"Whatever you say son. I'll be waiting to hear when you regain your senses son." He turned and started to leave, and Jules could stay silent no longer

"What you're just going to leave like that? Your son was just shot!" Jules let some of her anger into her voice at the idea of her boyfriend's father ignoring his hospitalized son like that.

"Looks like he's fine to me." Colonel Braddock dismissed her and walked out of the room.

"How can he just do that? How can he ignore you like that? Sam?" she looked at him giving her a strange face and she hurried in closer to him "Hey you okay?" Her protective attitude vanished when she realized he was trying not to smile.

"So you were gonna protect me from my evil father? Forget him Jules, I don't care what he thinks. I don't care what he thinks of you either because I know the truth about you." He looked at her with love plain as day on his face as she returned his smile and look equally.

"So tell me then if you know this truth about me why did you try to shut me up back there?"

"So I can post you kicking my dad's ass on YouTube." He said with a perfectly straight face, leaving her no doubt that he believed that she could do it. After that she just laughed and smiled at him once again. They took that moment to smile at each other and revel in a rare moment of love together. She pulled in to kiss him again and then suddenly pulled back when a meek little voice sounded from outside the room.

"Sam? Hello are you there? Your father said you were alone and I could come see you?" she finally rounded the corner just as Jules was trying to compose herself and said "Oh. Now I see why he specified that you were alone. I'm so sorry for my husband's behavior. You must be Juliana its so nice to finally meet you. Sam has told everything about you." Jules used every ounce of self control all her training had taught her to avoid giving Sam a panicked look of surprise at that detail. She managed a small smile in return as Sam hurried to fill in the silence.

"Jules this is my mother, mom this is Jules." The awkward moment continued as the two women seized each other up, one used to just accepting what happened to her and serving at her husband's whim, the other independent, confident and used to acting as she wished instead of how she was told to. Both women hated each other instantly.

Sam guessed what was happening, and realized that his girlfriend was never going to get along with the family. That really wasn't a problem for him because he didn't get along well with the family either, at least not since he had defied his father. Colonel Braddock was god in the Braddock family, and they considered him a heretic in need of repentance.

"SO tell me son how are you? Are you feeling okay?"

"Mom, I've been shot. No I won't feel better in a military hospital. " Sam stated bluntly, apparently he had had this conversation before as well. "Mom I don't care what dad says and I don't care what he thinks I'm not going back into the military."

"I don't understand why you can't just listen to your father son. He knows what is best Sam. He's your father." She made her displeasure and misunderstanding clear with every word and movement. She genuinely expected Sam to do everything his father told him too, as she did.

Sam had been hearing this message his entire life, from both his mother and father. They expected him to get a housewife of his own, go back in the military and life the life they had planned for him. He had a hunch that his dad's desire to have him in the military was more about being able to say "My son is a soldier" than anything else. Then again maybe it would be best. It would be so much easier just to have them lay off of him. He would have his parent's acceptance. But it would cost him Jules, along with any shred of dignity. He didn't want to join the military, and he knew that the love and acceptance he was chasing would be an illusion. A dream at best. Jules genuinely loved him, accepted who he was and loved him, not the image of who she expected him to be.

He just looked at his mother for a moment, trying to understand his parent's need to control him, why they needed him to be someone he wasn't so that they could love him. He tried to understand his need for their acceptance, why it mattered so much to him. At that moment his father reappeared "Honey what the hell is taking so long? You've seen the boy now lets go." When she hesitated he almost yelled "Honey! I said to come now!" she responded to his wishes, following out of the room without another word.

When they had gone Jules closed the door and sat down on the edge of Sam's bed. She looked at him with genuine love and affection, no expectations, no conditions. All she needed was him, not an image of him. She moved in closer and kissed him softly, and whispered to him "Sam, I love you. More than anything Sam I love you. I'm so sorry. I saw what they just put you through, and … I'm here for you Sam. Whatever you need I'll be here for you." She was barely managing to keep her voice under control as she struggled with the fact that Sam had dealt with that all his life.

"Its ok Jules. I'm fine. I don't care what they think. Their opinions and image of me… I've had to deal with those all my life. I don't need that, I don't need their acceptance. Just you Jules." They looked at each other, and held on to each other. Their lives were crazy, upside down and then right side up, and an emotional rollercoaster every day. They looked at each other, the one constant thing they both could depend on, no matter how insane things went. Even as he did so, Sam had lingering doubts. Almost everything about him knew that this was right, Jules and him together at the SRU. But even as he looked at the woman who had made him happier than anyone else ever could, that tiny part of his brain that still craved his parents acceptance nagged at him and plagued him with doubt.


	7. Chapter 7

-I wish to thank everyone for all the reviews I have gotten so far and would like to encourage more in the future. Having read some of your reviews I have attempted to answer your concerns about the story, specifically Sam's parents. Also in case you don't remember Kira was the team's original dispatcher who wanted to become a full SRU member so she seemed logical for Sam's replacement-

Jules and Spike moved together around a corner, taking turns one covering the others advance. The two moved down a long hallway searching for the subject. They had been searching this office building for the last half hour for the subject after he had been called in. They only knew what the 911 callers had reported, that a crazed man had come in waving a gun around and had taken another man hostage before disappearing in the chaos. They had heard everything in the reports from a handgun to an assault rifle so they were assuming the worst and taking it very slowly. Greg had been trying to talk him down but they couldn't trace his cell phone precisely enough to find him inside the building. Jules had quickly grown tired of this game of cat and mouse but they had finished clearing all but the top floor, and the team was converging on several points now. They met up with Wordy and Kira, who had replaced Sam, to search the last several offices. After several more doors they heard a man yelling, and the snake camera they put under the door confirmed both the hostage and the gun, which appeared to be an old MP5. Kira spoke into her radio "Boss subject located. Weapon confirmed as an MP5 submachine gun. Boss those bullets will not penetrate body armor; recommend less-lethal entry with tasers to subdue him."

Ed spoke up while leading the rest of the team to their location "And if he misses and hits one of you in the head? Or if he shoots the hostage? Negative as long as negotiations continue we stand down."

Kira responded simply with "Yes sir."

For the next 20 minutes they simply stood there stacked up on the door, all watching for any sign of a need to breach in. Ed had arrived during the interval and had taken command, waiting for the subject to surrender himself or for the team to need to go in. Suddenly out of nowhere the subject began yelling angrily, something Greg had said had re-elevated him and he was now holding his gun on the hostage's head. Greg's voice sounded on their radios "Ed go in! Go in now less lethal if you can but go in now!"

The team reacted instantly; Kira still had her taser out so she took point with the rest of the team to follow. They broke in the door all shouting variations of police, and drop your weapon. He turned toward them and hesitated for a moment, before seemingly making up his mind to open fire on the team. Before he could put his finger on the trigger Kira shot him with the taser, and held it until he was subdued. She spoke into her radio "Subject in custody, hostage is secure." As she and Wordy advanced and arrested him. Jules moved over quickly to the hostage along with Spike to check if he was injured.

A few hours and one debriefing later the team all went to the hospital, Sam was being released that day and only had to make it past recertifying to rejoin team one. Even Kira managed to be positive about Sam being released even though it meant she was losing her position within team one. She was being reassigned to team three, after their team leader had been "retired" in the fallout from the earlier shootout. The subsequent promotions had left an empty spot there as well that Kira would fill. The team arrived at the hospital and Jules went in first to bring him down, they wouldn't allow the entire team in. They also knew that there was another reason Jules went up alone but that was left unsaid.

"Sam? Hey Sam you there?" Jules asked as she came into his room, and was surprised to see him asleep, despite being fully dressed. She moved in closer and spoke quietly still trying to wake him up "Sam? Come on Sam it's time to get up now."

Sam was clearly still partially asleep and groggily replied "Jules?"

"Yeah Sam it's just me. Come on time to get up." She reached the bed and put a hand on his shoulder "Come on the team's waiting downstairs."

"Well in that case" Sam suddenly appeared fully awake and pulled her down on top of him and wrapped his arms around her. She quickly realized what he was doing and the two lay there for a moment wrapped up together.

Jules hit him playfully on the shoulder even as she laughed lightly at his antics. "Come on Sam we really do need to go." She said this even though she made no effort to move, and instead pulled closer to him and the two kissed lightly.

"I knew there was something about you girl." Came the ice cold remark from the doorway. Both Sam and Jules scrambled to compose themselves and found Sam's mother standing in the doorway. "I knew there was more to my son's decision than he was telling me. Your father might not have been able to see it but you both were glowing in each other's presence. I know love when I see it. You, Juliana. Now I disapprove of almost everything about you do you know that? I don't like you, I don't like your attitude, and I certainly don't approve a woman in your line of work. But you clearly make my son very happy, and that is all that should matter to a parent. So neither of you have to worry your father won't hear me breath a word of this. By the way you two might want to compose yourselves; he's waiting downstairs to see you off, come." Sam and Jules simply looked at each other for a moment, and followed.

"Know don't get me wrong I have the utmost respect for the police, but my son is no police officer. He's a soldier like his father. And he needs to go back where he belongs." Sam's father was once again ranting his opinion to anyone who would listen and to most people who wouldn't.

"So just to be clear that's whatever you say it is?" Ed remarked with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. In fact the entire team had a growing hostility brewing against Sam's father.

"Damn right it is. He's my son and whatever I say is what is best for him. Now where the hell is that woman she should be back with Sam by now."

"She's right over here dad." Sam remarked dryly, making his irritation clear. "I see you've met the team."

"Oh yes we've been having some lovely time with your father." Spike remarked as the two groups came together, just happening to shove Sam's father out of the group.

A series of "good to see you" and "How are you" commenced with several variations as Sam greeted his team again. Right in the middle of the reunions Sam's father tried to shove Kira out of the way, and only a look from Greg stopped her from responding with force. Instead she held her ground and didn't allow him to move her. "Sir are you aware that you are currently assaulting a police officer?"

That got his attention and forced him to back down a little. "My apologies ma'am. If you would I would like to see my son now." He responded in kind to her thinly veiled threat. Kira looked back at Sam, who nodded, and then stepped out of his way. "I'm so glad to see you better son, now that you can think clearly. SO tell me how long do I have to wait to see you back in your proper uniform?"

"That depends on how long it takes me to get back into the SRU." Sam responded icily, and started to walk away as his father realized his insolence at ignoring him.

"Now stop right there son. I have tolerated your disrespect for long enough. I am your father and I am telling you, you will come back to where you belong!" he nearly shouted the last part and the team moved to form a wall between him and Sam.

Ed stood directly in front of him, with the entire team backing him up. "Sir I'm going to have to ask you to calm down now. Right now sir." The two held each other's stare for a long moment, neither backing down. Eventually Sam's father did, realizing that he couldn't intimidate an entire SRU team. He backed up and put his hands up in mock surrender.

"If you'll excuse me dad I have something important to do." Sam finished the argument and led the team outside with his father still standing there at a loss for words. He gave his mother a significant look of gratitude as they walked away, and she responded simply with an almost imperceptible nod. "I'm sorry you guys had to see that. My parents are a little, well…" he trailed off allowing the past few minutes to finish for him.

"Hey Sam its fine, don't worry about it buddy." Answered Wordy.

"Sam if you had to put up with crap like that why didn't you tell any of us? We would've helped man." added spike.

The rest of the team voiced similar sentiments, especially Greg. Sam was now part of the family, and no one could disrupt that.

Sam looked around at his teammates, his friends and his real family and he looked at Jules. He knew that his father was wrong, that this was truly where he belonged. He looked forward to the future, his future with Jules and the SRU.

-I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read this, and especially like to thank all those who reviewed. In case you're interested you can look out for the sequel which should be up soon. -


End file.
